Breaking the Wall

December 21, 2024

15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

Location:

Orem,UT,United States

Member Since:

Jan 27, 1986

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Olympic Trials Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

Best marathon: 2:23:57 (2007, St. George). Won the Top of Utah Marathon twice (2003,2004). Won the USATF LDR circuit in Utah in 2006.

Draper Days 5 K 15:37 (2004)

Did not know this until June 2012, but it turned out that I've been running with spina bifida occulta in L-4 vertebra my entire life, which explains the odd looking form, struggles with the top end speed, and the poor running economy (cannot break 16:00 in 5 K without pushing the VO2 max past 75).

Short-Term Running Goals:

Qualify for the US Olympic Trials. With the standard of 2:19 on courses with the elevation drop not exceeding 450 feet this is impossible unless I find an uncanny way to compensate for the L-4 defect with my muscles. But I believe in miracles.

Long-Term Running Goals:

2:08 in the marathon. Become a world-class marathoner. This is impossible unless I find a way to fill the hole in L-4 and make it act healthy either by growing the bone or by inserting something artificial that is as good as the bone without breaking anything important around it. Science does not know how to do that yet, so it will take a miracle. But I believe in miracles.

Personal:

I was born in 1973. Grew up in Moscow, Russia. Started running in 1984 and so far have never missed more than 3 consecutive days. Joined the LDS Church in 1992, and came to Provo, Utah in 1993 to attend BYU. Served an LDS mission from 1994-96 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Got married soon after I got back. My wife Sarah and I are parents of eleven children: Benjamin, Jenny, Julia, Joseph, Jacob, William, Stephen, Matthew, Mary, Bella. and Leigha. We home school our children.

I am a software engineer/computer programmer/hacker whatever you want to call it, and I am currently working for RedX. Aside from the Fast Running Blog, I have another project to create a device that is a good friend for a fast runner. I called it Fast Running Friend.

Favorite Quote:

...if we are to have faith like Enoch and Elijah we must believe what they believed, know what they knew, and live as they lived.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie

Favorite Blogs:

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to Ukraine's Armed Forces

Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	3010.45
Saucony Type A Lifetime Miles:						640.15
Bare Feet Lifetime Miles:						450.37
Nike Double Stroller Lifetime Miles:						124.59
Brown Crocs 4 Lifetime Miles:						1334.06
Amoji 1 Lifetime Miles:						732.60
Amoji 2 Lifetime Miles:						436.69
Amoji 3 Lifetime Miles:						380.67
Lopsie Sports Sandals Lifetime Miles:						818.02
Lopsie Sports Sandals 2 Lifetime Miles:						637.27
Iprome Garden Clogs Lifetime Miles:						346.18
Beslip Garden Clogs Lifetime Miles:						488.26
Joybees 1 Lifetime Miles:						1035.60
Madctoc Clogs Lifetime Miles:						698.29
Blue Crocs Lifetime Miles:						1164.32
Kimisant Black Clogs Lifetime Miles:						720.62
Black Crocs 2023 Lifetime Miles:						1743.12
White Slip Resistant Crocs Lifetime Miles:						759.93

Thu, Sep 13, 2007

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
7.00	3.00	0.00	0.00	10.00

A.M. Ran with Ted and Jeff. Ted originally wanted to do 6x800 at threshold. I figured there is no way he'd be able to do them at threshold, so I convinced him to do 2x1.5 miles instead. We did the first one in 8:48.9, and the second in 8:29.1. Both felt very relaxing, the horses were neighing, but I told them the time to neigh would be on Saturday. Total of 8 miles.

Ted, Steve, and Kory still need to find a place to stay in St. George. Would anybody in our St. George group, or their friends, have some floor space for them?

P.M. Steve, Ted and Kory found accommodations in St. George through our generous friends. Steve and Ted are staying at Mik'l's parents' house, while Kory will be staying with Logan's parents. We have one more homeless runner, though. Katie got into St. George at the last moment. For those who have not been following the blogs closely, she is our fastest female marathoner on the blog (2:59), and she did it after having given birth to four children. Leave a comment in her blog if you would like to have her over. She does not mind floor space, that beats camping out or paying for a hotel.

Ran 2 miles with the kids tonight. First 0.5 with all three in 4:54. Then put Julia in the stroller, hit 1.5 in 13:40, then put Jenny in the stroller as well. Finished the last 0.5 with Benjamin in 3:39, which gave us 17:19 for the whole run. Benjamin seems to have made a breakthrough in his top speed. He really made me work on the last 60 meters today. Of course, I was pushing a double stroller with considerable weight by that time, but he actually managed to drop me at first, and I had to go full throttle to catch up.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 0.00

Comments

From Logan on Thu, Sep 13, 2007 at 11:31:32

My parents might have one extra bed in the house. They do have a lot of extra room for all three of them to stay if they want. Let me know so I can give my parents a heads up. We could get some air mattresses and they would be fine.

From Sasha Pachev on Thu, Sep 13, 2007 at 11:38:49

Ted, Steve, Kory - please contact Logan and let him know if what his parents have to offer will work for you.

From jtshad on Thu, Sep 13, 2007 at 11:42:36

Here is the name and number of a place with condos for reservation. They may have at least one condo available as a guy up here just cancelled his 3 bedroom condo about 2 weeks ago ($300 a night, Friday and Saturday) because two of his buddies backed out. Resorts Reservations of St. George: 435-673-1392. Hope they still have some left. Maybe Steve, Kory and Ted can hook up and get one. Full kitchen, hot tub/pool access, etc. Could be pretty nice.

From James on Thu, Sep 13, 2007 at 14:45:17

Sasha,

Kevin Ball (Trever's older brother)is going to do a max test with tomorrow. You need get in contact with him by email and set up a time. Let me know how it goes, I won't be there because of school and cross country, so have fun. kevin.b@aggiemail.usu.edu

From Superfly on Thu, Sep 13, 2007 at 20:53:20

Sasha Ted and Steve can stay with Mik'L's mom's where you guys are staying. Let them know and then if they want to tell them to let me know.

From Sasha Pachev on Thu, Sep 13, 2007 at 21:13:07

James - thanks for setting this up. I've gotten in touch with Kevin, and we are going to do it at 3 PM tomorrow.

Clyde - that would be great. We will have a merry company.

From James on Fri, Sep 14, 2007 at 00:00:31

Glad to hear it, let me know how it goes.

From James on Fri, Sep 14, 2007 at 00:34:53

Sasha,

I have been trying to change my picture on my blog for quite a while now and I can't seem to do it. Everything else works fine in blog options. I have tried it several times with mozilla and internet explorer, and still no luck.

From Katie on Fri, Sep 14, 2007 at 06:34:14

I'm holding off until Sunday to make flight arrangements. My leg is improving by the hour, but I want to be sure(if ever we can be!)

I would love some floor space, Logan, if your parents could spare some. I'll contact you as soon as I have more definite plans.

Jtshad, the condo sounds nice but a little out of my range.

From Sasha Pachev on Fri, Sep 14, 2007 at 10:56:52

James - your picture did upload fine, at least I am seeing a new picture on your blog. Your browser must be caching the old one. Hold Shift and hit the Reload icon on your browser.

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